Great Barrier Reef:

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system,composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands, that stretch for 2,600 kilometres covering an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is sometimes referred to as the single largest organism in the world. In reality, it is made up of many millions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. The Great Barrier Reef was also selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN has labelled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Queensland National Trust has named it a state icon of Queensland.

Double Island - Luxury Private Retreat

Location:

Providing complete guest privacy and a wide variety of activities and extensive facilities for up to forty guests, yet only ten minutes from the palm Cove mainland, Double Island forms the perfect base from which to enjoy Tropical North Queensland¹s world-renowned attractions.

As a privately held property, Double Island is a genuine alternative to larger more-commercial resorts and is only available for rental on a "whole-of-island" basis ­ so that only one party or group can secure the resort at any one time with exclusive use of the entire island and its facilities.

Surrounded by the tropical waters of the Coral Sea, its palm fringed sandy beaches and landscaped tropical gardens filled with exotic colour, scent and sound, Double Island is a rare private domain.

Accommodation:

From the private apartments to the Hideaway Honeymoon suite, Double Island’s accommodation offers privacy, luxury and tropical paradise opulence.

There are ten one-bedroom Garden View Rooms each with marble bathroom and private balcony and ten one-bedroom Apartments each with luxurious open plan lounge and dining area, opulent bathroom, fully-equipped kitchenette, plus either a private plunge pool or outdoor spa. All Apartments and Garden View rooms are fully air-conditioned and adjoining Apartments and Garden View rooms may be configured to form larger two-bedroom, two-bathroom accommodation.

All blissfully comfortable, discreetly private and caressed by tropical island breezes.

Facilities:

• Landscaped swimming pool
• Outdoor spa
• Modern beachside gymnasium
• Walking tracks
• Table tennis
• Computer Game sations
• Games room complex with indoor cinema
• Library
• Internet access
• Meeting/conference facilities
• Catamarans
• Windsurfing
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Moonlight outdoor cinema

Dining:

• Long Room restaurant
• Fully equipped bar
• Outdoor barbeque areas
• In-room dining

Prices:

Costs vary depending on the numbr of guests and nights, please contact our Hotel Department on 01903 832888 for a quote.

Hayman Island Resort - 5 Star Deluxe

Location:

Hayman is Australia's most celebrated private island destination, beautifully situated in the magnificent Great Barrier Reef and presenting an array of unique and memorable resort and Reef experiences.

Surrounded by idyllic coral fringed beaches and lapping the waters of the Coral Sea, on the south-western side of the island, Hayman offers 234 guest rooms, suites, penthouses and a beach villa. The accommodation, restaurants, guest service areas, marine facilities and operational plant, have been designed to blend in with the natural beauty of the surroundings. No part of the resort is higher than four stories and throughout, shady ponds and gentle waterfalls thread their way among beautiful gardens, spacious walkways and open air lanais.

Accommodation:

Hayman presents resort living in 234 beautifully appointed rooms, suites, penthouses and a villa, situated in Pool, Palm, Lagoon and Beach Wings, all featuring private terraces or balconies.

The Pool Wing, comprising Pool Rooms, Pool Access, Pool Deluxe and Pool Suites, overlooks the famous Hayman Pool and tropical gardens.

Level 3 also offers views out to the Coral Sea and neighbouring Hook Island. This wing is ideal for guests wishing to be close to and enjoy views of the icon pool.

The Palm Wing, comprising Palm Rooms, is centrally located in the resort with excellent access to all facilities.

The Lagoon Wing, comprising Lagoon Rooms, Lagoon Deluxe, Lagoon Suites and 11 Penthouses, overlooks the tranquil lagoon, tropical gardens and Lagoon Pool. Level 3 and 4 - the latter housing the resort Penthouses - also offer views out to the Coral Sea and neighbouring Hook Island. This wing offers larger rooms and suites than those in the Pool Wing.

The Beach Wing comprises Beach Front rooms and a private Beach Villa fronting Hayman Beach, and Retreat Rooms set back from the beach in tropical gardens. This wing is ideal for couples wishing to stay in boutique accommodation in tranquil surrounds.

Facilities:

• Spa Chakra
• Body treatments
• Saunas
• Steamrooms
• Relaxation lounges & meditation suite
• Salt water pool
• heated freshwater pool
• Pristine beaches
• Watersports
• Floodlit tennis courts
• Squash courts
• Nine-hole putting green
• Golf target range
• Table tennis
• Badminton
• Snooker
• Pool
• Activities centre
• Entertainment centre
• Club lounge library
• Fishing charters
• Marine tours
• Meeting facilities
• Weddings
• Kids club

Dining:

• Azure
• The Beach Pavilion
• La Trattoria
• The Chef's Table
• La Fontaine
• Oriental
• Gourmet hampers
• Club Lounge

Featured in the 2006 Conde Nast  Traveller 'Hot List' 

BRAZIL 

Santa Catarina:

Santa catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in the country. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west it borders the province of Misiones, Argentina.

The beaches along the coast of 561 kilometres are a great attraction for tourists visiting the smallest State of the South Region. Santa Catarina is not just a summer destination.

The state which was initially known for its beautiful coastline with more than 500 beaches found that its geographic and cultural diversity was also a big tourist attraction and as a result, tourists can today enjoy contrasting types of scenery and climate which are very close to each other – only two hours by car separate golden beaches from some 2000 metre-high mountains.

Santa Catarina offers a number of sights and events throughout the year: rural tourism, thermal mineral resorts, ecological tourism and adventure sports, historic monuments and sights, religious tourism, Beto Carrero World and Unipraias parks), and the unforgettable beach resort of Balneário Camboriú.

Some of these sights can only be seen in the off-season, like the snow spectacle on the Catarinense Mountain Range - the only place in Brazil where it snows every year. This region is the birthplace of rural tourism, has farm hotels with trout fishing in the ice-cold rivers, horse riding, trekking and outdoor sports activities.  Between July and November, the Right whales visit the state's coast – and the number of tourists wishing to see this spectacle has increased year after year.

Florianopolis:

Florianópolis (nicknamed Floripa) is the capital city of Santa Catarina State. and is composed of one main island, the Island of Santa Catarina, a continental part and the surrounding small islands.

The city has 42 pristine beaches and is a centre of surfing activity. VEJA magazine, a Brazilian publication, named Florianopolis "the best place to live in Brazil." As a result of this publicity, Florianopolis is growing as a second home destination for many Paulistas, Argentines, North Americans and Europeans.

The northern beach resorts Jurerê, Daniela, Canasvieiras, Brava and Ingleses get very busy during the summer and there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and other conveniences for the tourist. Eastern beaches, like Joaquina, Mole and Moçambique are among the best surfing beaches and popular with young people. Beaches heading south include Campeche, Armação and Morro das Pedras, which are all very beautiful and also good for surfing. Isolated and unspoilt beaches, like Lagoinha do Leste and Naufragados can be found at the southern end of the island and can only be reached only by trail.

The Lagoa da Conceição lagoon is a famous natural attraction, and the centrepiece of the island - sports, cuisine and entertainment are first class! Peri lagoon is quieter and great for nature walks. The Lagoa da Conceição lagoon is relatively shallow, with high winds making it a world-class location for windsurfing.

The city of Florianopolis is quite modern, with shopping malls, chain and high-end restaurants and many glamorous nightclubs. The highway system serving the city is very good.

Villa Vilalva - Boutique

Location:

Villa Vilalva is a Luxury Guest House located on the beach in a quaint fishing village of Barra da Lagoa, on the island of Florianopolis. Promoted by the The New York Times as the hottest beach scene in Brazil and Newsweek as one of the 10 Hottest Cities in the world.

Long a favorite of rich and famous South Americans it is a weekend commute for many Paulistas and Argentines. It is the Hampton's of Sao Paulo and is located on an island less than one hour south of Sao Paulo by air.

Villa Vilalva is the only luxury guest house on the east side of the island and the 4 metre high walls insure privacy and protection from the ocean breezes.

Accommodation:

Villa Vilalva was created in 2004 by Paul Perkins, former International Advertising Manager of The New York Times, and Juliana Vilalva a famous Brazilian Samba singer.

The master suite at Villa Vilalva is 100 square metres with private veranda and 2 metre enclosed hot tub. There is Wireless high speed internet access is in every room. Fourteen feet high walls insure privacy and protection from the ocean breeze.

Facilities:

• Swimming pool
• Sun deck
• Nearby beach

Dining:

• Nearby restaurants (The Bisro, Isadora Duncan is one of Florianopolis finest restaurants and it is located in Barra da Lagoa overlooking the lagoon.)
  

Ponta dos Ganchos - Exclusive Resort

Location:

Located on a private peninsula near Florianopolis on Brazil's south coast, Ponta dos Ganchos is one of the country's most exclusive beach resorts. A ridge of Atlantic rainforest runs down to the water, where three tiny islands horseshoe around a sandy bay. A thatched restaurant idles ten feet from the beach, but paddle across to one of the islands and you find a bar that's illuminated by torches at night. You are in the middle of nowhere here, and Ponta dos Ganchos delivers the dream: idyllic landscapes of emerald sea and forest, contemporary interiors in 20 beautiful Bungalows (some with private plunge pools, saunas and jacuzzis) and service that's second to none (all meals, including breakfast, are served at any hour of the day).

Accommodation:

Santa Catarina’s natural splendour is the backdrop for the resort'srustic-chic style; all the technology and comfort needed for complete relaxation. All twenty bungalows offer: Sea view, hammock on the veranda, split air conditioning, ceiling fans, 32” flat-LCD TV, DVD player, king size bed by Cia. do Sono, Egyptian cotton sheets, Wi-Fi internet, direct dial telephone, hair dryer, walk-in wardrobe, digital safe, turn down service, mini bar and fireplace.

Facilities:

• Fitness centre
• Heated swimming pool
• Spa (Christian Dior)
• Body treatments
• Sauna
• Cinema
• Sailing
• Canoeing
• Nearby scuba diving site
• Tennis court
• Games room
• Nature trail
• Biking
• Horseback riding
• Rafting
• Boat trips
• Persons under 18 not catered for

Dining:

• Restaurant
  

Costao Do Santinho Florianopolis - 5 Star

Location:

Costao do Santinho Resort and Spa, which is surrounded by crystalline water, which laps upon the shores of the capital of Santa Catarina, is located to the far north of Florianópolis, on Santinho beach.

From its beginning as a visionary project, Costao do Santinho was the first Resort in the South of the country to be created to harmonize self-sustainable tourism with nature and the local population.

Accommodation:

Elegantly designed, the spacious guestrooms are gracefully appointed and come with all the contemporary amenities, enabling you to relax and have a blissful sleep after a busy day. Choose from varying sized apartments in the International Wing or one of 14 Villas on the resort.

Facilities:

• 9 Open-air swimming pools
• Sports & aquatic complex
• Spa
• Body treatments
• Fitness centre
• Ecological reserve
• Convention centre
• Marina & boat trips on Inglesas Beach
• Ilha do Cascaes Nightclub

Dining:

• Restaurante Nossa Senhora das Ondas (International)
• Restaurante Nossa Senhora da Vitória (French cuisine)
• Rancho do Pescador
• Restaurante Açores
• Costao Grill
• Trattoria di Mare
• Carijós Sound & Bar
• Bar das Piscinas Área Social
• Bar das Piscinas Ala Internacional

Rio de Janeiro:

Rio is famous for its breathtaking landscape, its laidback beach culture and its annual carnival.

Beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema, the Christ The Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) statue, the stadium of Maracana and Sugar Loaf Mountain are all well-known sights of what the inhabitants call the "marvelous city" and also the first images to pop up in someone's mind, along with the Carnaval celebration.

The South Zone gathers most of Rio's landmarks and world-famous beaches, in an area of only 17 square miles. Many of them are walking distance from each other (for instance, the Sugar Loaf lies about 5 miles from Copacabana beach). Most hotels and hostels are located in this side of the city, which is compressed between the Tijuca Range and the sea. There are relevant places in other regions as well, such as Maracanã stadium in the North Zone.

La Suite - Boutique Guest House

Location:

A chip off the La Maison block, La Suite shares an owner, and a concept - a tiny and impossibly stylish luxury guest house, far enough off the main tourist drag to escape the crowds, but close enough to feel like you’re in on the action. In La Suite’s case, this means Joatinga, one of Rio’s most exclusive residential districts, at the end of a gated street, with some of the best ocean views in the city and access to a well-kept secret: Joatinga Beach.

Accommodation:

Seven rooms is about as intimate as it gets, and as rooms, they’re remarkable - well-designed, individual, luxe but not ostentatious, and best of all, all seven take advantage of the phenomenal view, from full-length windows or private balconies.

One pool would be enough for a hotel this size, but La Suite has two, not to mention Joatinga Beach, a surfer’s paradise, a couple of minutes’ drive down a cliffside road.

Facilities:

• Outdoor pool with ocean view
• Wireless internet access
• Air-conditioning
• Library
• Gardens
• Massage service

Dining:

• Dining Room
• Terrace for dining
  

CHINA

Sanya:

Sanya is the southernmost city in Hainan province, China. In the last few years Sanya developed to become a get away from Hong Kong and a relaxing place for extending a holiday with a long trip back home. The first international Resort hotel was opened and managed by Swiss hotelier N.C. Solari in 1999, in the beautiful location of Yalong Bay.

Nowadays, several international hotel chains have established in what is becoming a world-known destination, especially since the famous beauty pageant Miss World took place in Crowne Plaza, one of the Hotels along Yalong bay.

It all started with another resort this time in Sanya Bay, the Palm Beach Resort & Spa who welcomed the first Miss China beauty pageant in modern times.

Kempinski Hotel Sanya - 5 Star Deluxe

Location:

The Kempinski Hotel Sanya is nestled on a soft white sandy beach located on the most southern tip of China. Spanning 51.6 hectares of lush tropical greenery and palm trees, the resort is a perfect getaway from the bustling city life. Spectacular views of the sea are yours to relish in the comfort of your room with private balcony and tub to relax. Indulge in a wide range of spa and wellness facilities or a game of golf nearby. Here, you can choose to relax and do nothing or simply everything.

Accommodation:

The spacious 408 rooms, including a Presidential suite, five Junior Suites and 21 Deluxe Suites, are luxuriously appointed and designed to provide the utmost in comfort and convenience. All rooms have a private balcony with an outside tub overlooking either the mountains or ocean.

All rooms and suites are comfortable and beautifully appointed, with sitting area, designed with natural and tranquil colours. With adjoining Spa treatment area, the Spa Villa rooms provide a serene and exotically soothing ambience, equipped for enjoying Spa treatments in your own environment. From the Junior suites to Deluxe suites, and Executive Deluxe suites in the Executive Wing, you will experience stunning views of the ocean.

Facilities:

• Outdoor swimming pool
• Children's pool with slides
• Angsana Spa
• Sauna & steam rooms
• Body treatments
• Beach & watersports activities
• Gym & aerobic facilities
• Tennis courts
• Billiard room
• Library
• Kidz kempi
• Wireless broadband in public areas
• Business facilities

Dining:

• Paulaner Brauhaus (German cuisine)
• Catch Seafood restaurant
• Dragon Palace
• Kranzler's
• The kempi Deli
• Lobby Lounge
• Tai-Foon Ice Cream Bar
• Wine & Cigar Bar
• Sunset Bar & BBQ
• 24 Hour room service